We Are An “Ancient Faith” Community
We are an evangelical, sacramental and charismatic Christian church that believes the road to the future runs through the past. And this is what “Ancient Future” means: Our worship and spirituality are deeply rooted in classic Christianity: “Spirit-Word-Sacrament.” We are convinced that the faith and practice of the ancient Church will engage our culture more effectively and provide a way forward in a time of almost unbelievable transition and change.

We Are Unique

So, first, we want you to know that we’re not a traditional church, as most folks would try to define a 19th or 20th-century church. We have little interest in institutional survival or the traditional ways of measuring success such as people in pews, large buildings, or huge financial budgets. If you are looking for a church with “traditional” or “contemporary” worship, or if you’re a seeker after modern church programs, our community is probably not for you. We are not a denominational church; we are a pre-denominational church. We are evangelical and orthodox seeking to reach back to the ACTS 2 church birthed at “Pentecost.

We are a Common and yet Diverse Community

We draw from many Christian denominations and backgrounds who are seeking to find that one church that incorporates all the components of holy worship: sound biblical preaching and teaching, prayer, healing, holy communion weekly, experiencing the gifts of the spirit, confession, baptism and worship that draws men and women into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

This parish is made up of some fascinating people from Knoxville and many other parts of the country and world. If you find it hard to fit in – in Knoxville, we’re the place you can call “Home.” When I arrived in Knoxville, it took me 3 years to connect to a church. Why? Because I was not a local guy, I was and still am an outsider. So, this is why I am here at Emmaus Abbey. They reach out to those “not connected” to a community of faith.

You’ll surely find other good churches nearer to your home–may be even ones that are a better fit for you–but you won’t find a copy of Emmaus Abbey. Who we are and what we do – is delightfully uncommon.

We’re a “Sunday 10:30 AM Church”

If you are like me, I sometimes struggle to get up in the morning. My workweek at times is stressful. Traditionally, Sunday has always been the big day for worship. So we meet mid-morning to allow folks time to relax in the afternoon with the family. The pull to create midweek meetings is becoming more traditional these days so Emmaus Abbey is toying with conducting a midweek or Friday 6 pm service. Call us if this interests you and your family. So we’ve learned how to be an effective “Sunday church.” All the components of parish life are accessible by attending on Sundays.

For Emmaus Abbey we incorporate, adjust and accommodate a variety of worship and teaching opportunities on Sundays. We may provide a pot-luck after the service, have a live concert, play games, watch a film, work through new member courses, and more–not to mention standard Sunday elements like studying Scripture, receiving communion, corporate prayer, and occasionally Baptism and Confirmation. All of this is woven into the fabric of Sundays together.

Wednesday Healing Ministries 6:30 pm

 Emmaus Healing Ministries (EHM) meets every Sunday morning and the first Wednesday of the month. Inner healing engages the use of prayer, forgiveness, repentance, rejecting childhood lies, and replacing them with truth, and processing painful memories to bring emotional and spiritual healing.  We have many trained people from around the Knoxville area that come for prayer and healing. It doesn’t matter what your background, culture, or what church you may attend. Many churches do not offer inner healing services dealing with emotional and physical needs. James 5:14 says if anyone is sick, let the elders of the church pray over them.  Come purge your life of sin.  John 15:2

Serving God Beyond Sunday

Emmaus Abbey is engaged in community life well into the week and month. We make sure a full portion of parish life happens on Sunday, but, of course, being a “Sunday Church” isn’t a strict rule. We provide weekday counseling services, inner healing services, mission work, and pastoral care to our member families and others as many call into our church for prayer. We are a Veteran Friendly Congregation and try to assist veterans in crisis and those in need of family counseling and support.

As we grow, we are trying new avenues of approaching ministry where our families are living. Our midweek fellowships are met by meeting in small home groups, gatherings, and studies as our individual & family schedules and proximities allow. Our goal is to have a vigorous reach beyond the doors of the Sunday church experience that provides our members the chance to connect with each other; as those relationships grow, people naturally carry their connection beyond Sundays.